Summary: The events that I believe will take place before Jesus returns.

I’ve been talking to you about the clash between Israel and the Palestinians which is a clash between President Sharon and Yassar Arafat. But deeper than that it is a clash between two cultures: the Jewish culture and Islamic culture. At times this seems to be a clash between God’s plan and Satan’s plan. I deeply believe that God has a plan for the Jews and for the land of Palestine. The violence is Satan’s opposition. The escalating violence in the Middle East and the coming war in the Middle East is an indication of the developing fulfillment to prophecy which I call END TIME DRAMA.

I believe seven things will happen before Jesus comes. All of these are developing at the present and will escalate more in the future. And each one of these seven things sheds light on the controversy in Israel.

1. THE PROFESSING CHRISTIAN CHURCH WILL BECOME MORE APOSTATE.

The Bible teaches that before Jesus returns, the Church will become more apostate which means it not only will deny the fundamentals of the faith; but will believe the opposite of Christianity. Notice what Paul told Timothy,

“That in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; Forbidding to marry, [and commanding] to abstain from meats” (1 Tim. 4:1-3).

I see three things about the Church in that verse:

1. The Church will deny the faith more and more in the last days. The phrase “the faith” does not refer to their personal belief in Jesus Christ, but rather to doctrinal faith, i.e., “the doctrinal statement of faith.” This means the fundamentals of doctrinal faith will be denied.

2. The end-time Church will listen to seducing spirits. It seems today people in the Church are listening to every spirit, except the Word of God. The Church is listening to the cry from the feminist, the plea of the abortionist, and trying to protect homosexuality. The voice to compromise characterizes today’s Church.

3. The doctrine of devils. This means many in the Church are believing doctrine contrary to the fundamentals. Satan is the Father of lies and many in the Church are believing the doctrinal lies that Satan would have them believe.

There is another verse where Paul told Timothy what the end times would be like. “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away” (2 Timothy 3:1-5).

Let me point out three things that verse tells you that will happen during the last times. First of all, during the last times, men will be lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God. When you think of our sports-driven society, and our media-driven society, and our leisure-driven society, then you understand we are living in the last days.